Innate Recognition of Coral Snake Pattern by a Possible Avian Predator

Smith, Susan M.

doi:10.1126/science.187.4178.759

Cited by 248 publications

(128 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Our results are thus complementary to, rather than contradictory of, the hypotheses based on an assumption of crypsis. Whether predator avoidance of adder patterns is innate (like the avoidance of coral snake and sea snake patterns by some birds; Smith 1975Smith , 1977Caldwell & Rubinoff 1983) or learned remains to be ascertained.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The severe consequences for any non-specialist predator that attacks them will either accelerate avoidance learning (Czaplicki et al 1976;Goodale & Sneddon 1977) or result in innate avoidance (Smith 1975(Smith , 1977Pough 1988). Predator avoidance of the characteristic, brightly coloured banding of neotropical coral snakes (Micrurus, Micruroides) has been demonstrated in field experiments (Brodie 1993;Brodie & Janzen 1995), and appears to be innate in some generalist predatory birds (Smith 1975(Smith , 1977. These snakes form the focus of extensive mimicry rings (Greene & McDiarmid 1981;Brodie & Brodie 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Do aposematism and Batesian mimicry require bright colours? A test, using European viper markings

Wüster

Allum

Bjargardóttir

et al. 2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

138

143

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Predator avoidance of noxious prey, aposematism and defensive mimicry are normally associated with bright, contrasting patterns and colours. However, noxious prey may be unable to evolve conspicuous coloration because of other selective constraints, such as the need to be inconspicuous to their own prey or to specialist predators. Many venomous snakes, particularly most vipers, display patterns that are apparently cryptic, but nevertheless highly characteristic, and appear to be mimicked by other, non-venomous snakes. However, predator avoidance of viper patterns has never been demonstrated experimentally. Here, the analysis of 813 avian attacks on 12 636 Plasticine snake models in the field shows that models bearing the characteristic zigzag band of the adder (Vipera berus) are attacked significantly less frequently than plain models. This suggests that predator avoidance of inconspicuously but characteristically patterned noxious prey is possible. Our findings emphasize the importance of mimicry in the ecological and morphological diversification of advanced snakes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do aposematism and Batesian mimicry require bright colours? A test, using European viper markings

Wüster

Allum

Bjargardóttir

et al. 2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

138

143

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The coral snake's venom is lethal to most predators (Roze 1996). Not surprisingly, many potential predators show an innate aversion to coral snake colour patterns (Gehlbach 1972;Smith 1975Smith , 1977. Such a potent model is an excellent candidate for generating a wide cone of protection.…”

Section: (A) Study Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Because both colour and pattern are important in predator avoidance of coral snakes and their mimics (Smith 1975;Hinman et al 1997), our separate pattern and colour scores were combined. We did so by weighting and summing each so that they contributed equally to a continuous composite colour-pattern variable that ranged from 0 (most cryptic) to 2 (most mimetic).…”

Section: (A) Study Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-model abundance may permit the gradual evolution of Batesian mimicry: an experimental test

Kikuchi

Pfennig

2009

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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In Batesian mimicry, a harmless species (the 'mimic') resembles a dangerous species (the 'model') and is thus protected from predators. It is often assumed that the mimetic phenotype evolves from a cryptic phenotype, but it is unclear how a population can transition through intermediate phenotypes; such intermediates may receive neither the benefits of crypsis nor mimicry. Here, we ask if selection against intermediates weakens with increasing model abundance. We also ask if mimicry has evolved from cryptic phenotypes in a mimetic clade. We first present an ancestral character-state reconstruction showing that mimicry of a coral snake (Micrurus fulvius) by the scarlet kingsnake (Lampropeltis elapsoides) evolved from a cryptic phenotype. We then evaluate predation rates on intermediate phenotypes relative to cryptic and mimetic phenotypes under conditions of both high-and low-model abundances. Our results indicate that where coral snakes are rare, intermediate phenotypes are attacked more often than cryptic and mimetic phenotypes, indicating the presence of an adaptive valley. However, where coral snakes are abundant, intermediate phenotypes are not attacked more frequently, resulting in an adaptive landscape without a valley. Thus, high-model abundance may facilitate the evolution of Batesian mimicry.

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“…Many birds possess an innate avoidance of typical warning colors (Smith 1975;Schuler and Roper 1992;Marples et al 1998), and can also indirectly learn avoidance through observation of conspecific behaviors (Skelhorn 2011). Organisms exhibiting typical aposematic colors also tend to contrast well with the environment, which can facilitate avoidance learning in predators (Gittleman and Harvey 1980;Roper and Wistow 1986;Roper 1990).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Not all colors are equal: predation and color polytypism in the aposematic poison frog Oophaga pumilio

2012

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Aposematic organisms are not predicted to show high levels of warning signal diversity because they are expected to be under stabilizing selection to decrease costs of 'educating' predators about their unpalatability. However, systematic changes in warning signals (polytypism) can be expected if they represent adaptations to local predators. The aposematic strawberry poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) is red throughout its mainland distribution in Costa Rica and Panamá, but displays high levels of warning signal diversity in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago of Panamá. Both coloration and spot pattern vary in a polytypic sense. Sexual selection contributes to maintaining the polytypism, but little work has investigated the potential influence of predation. We used unspotted models of O. pumilio to determine if predation might help explain the color polytypism on Isla Colón in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago of Panamá. We tested whether attack rates differed among the red mainland morph, green/yellow Isla Colón morph, and the brown control. We found that frog color significantly predicted being attacked. The local green Isla Colón models were attacked more than foreign red or brown models. No difference in attack rate existed between red and brown control models. Our results suggest that the red mainland morph possesses a more effective warning signal, even when it is not the local morph. Honest signaling of unpalatability, neophobia, and the use of search images by local predators are potential explanations. Similarity of the brown model to other local poison frogs might explain the lower attack rate compared to previous work. The attack rate was lower on Isla Colón compared to mainland Costa Rica, which supports the hypothesis that less overall 123Evol Ecol DOI 10.1007/s10682-012-9605-z predation in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago may contribute to the overall warning signal diversity in O. pumilio there by relaxing selection for aposematic traits.

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Innate Recognition of Coral Snake Pattern by a Possible Avian Predator

Cited by 248 publications

References 2 publications

Do aposematism and Batesian mimicry require bright colours? A test, using European viper markings

Do aposematism and Batesian mimicry require bright colours? A test, using European viper markings

High-model abundance may permit the gradual evolution of Batesian mimicry: an experimental test

Not all colors are equal: predation and color polytypism in the aposematic poison frog Oophaga pumilio

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